


Fall in the Deep End

by spookyleo



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Disabled Character, Fluff, Holidays, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Miscommunication, Nick Fury's Clown Thing, Trans Male Character, Trans Steve Rogers, Trans Tony Stark, because its stevetony theres always miscommunication, feel like pure shite just want Avengers Academy back x
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21832207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyleo/pseuds/spookyleo
Summary: They were competing for student president, because of course they were. If they weren’t competing for student president, it would be president of the chess club (although Steve knew Tony would win by a mile) or best in sport (although Steve knew he’d probably win that one) or something equally as irrelevant but equally as important in providing tension between the two boys.They’d butted heads before, and Steve knew they’d butt heads again, but this holiday all he could hope for was for everything to go smoothly and to not act on any of the terribly sad impulses that his mind haunted him with.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 31





	Fall in the Deep End

_Hey! Guess who's back on his stevetony bullshit!!! (spoiler alert, it's me.)_

_Thank you so much to my internet husband, Kaine, who beta read this with no context at like 2am last night. You can and should follow his tumblr[here](goldblumed.tumblr.com)!_

* * *

Tony was the only other person staying on campus over the holidays.

And Steve was supposed to be in competition with him right now.

They were competing for student president, because of course they were. If they weren’t competing for student president, it would be president of the chess club (although Steve knew Tony would win by a mile) or best in sport (although Steve knew he’d probably win that one) or something equally as irrelevant but equally as important in providing tension between the two boys.

They’d butted heads before, and Steve knew they’d butt heads again, but this holiday all he could hope for was for everything to go smoothly and to not act on any of the terribly sad impulses that his mind haunted him with.

Because that was the thing, wasn’t it. All this competition. It was an excuse to be around one another, and deep down Steve knew that. But that didn’t stop him ignoring it.

“You’re irritatingly perfect, you know that, right?” Tony was in the habit of rocking up half an hour late for breakfast, and that didn’t change during the holidays as he padded, yawning, into the communal kitchen on the first morning of the school holiday. Steve was already showered, had been for a run, and was frying vegetarian bacon for breakfast. Tony poured day old black coffee into a red white and blue mug.

“I try my best.”

Steve wasn’t the best at responding to Tony’s flirtations, which was a shame considering how much he liked him – which was rather a lot.

The first time it happened, when Tony confessed to checking him out at the gym, Steve blushed a horrible shade of pink.

“I can help you train, if you’d like, Tony,” He’d replied, then blushed again at the double entendre.

“Maybe I would, Captain,” Tony had said. “Maybe I would.”

Another time, Tony had mentioned something about folks on the internet thinking him and Steve would make a wonderful couple.

“I suppose so,” Steve had chuckled, flicking his eyes down to the ground and casting them up to meet Tony’s again – the way he did when he was embarrassed, of course.

Most of the rest of the first day continued without much interaction. Steve went to the gym, thought about school work he needed to do and punched a bag until the stress in his shoulders had dropped out. He walked past Tony’s tower on his way to the dorm, heard a movie playing inside. Steve wondered what movie, whether he’d like it. He heard Tony laugh, and swallowed. Kept moving.

Nick Fury was milling about the next day. Tony didn’t seem to be able to pass up the opportunity for drama. Steve wondered why he wasn’t spending the holiday with Janet. Those two were almost joined at the hip. Steve would’ve thought they were dating, but he was pretty sure Jan didn’t swing that way. Briefly, Steve felt a pang of jealous towards their closeness.

“Oh, hey Rogers,” Tony said as Steve left the dorm to see what all the fuss was about between Tony and Fury. Steve nodded at him in response.

“Mr. Fury here was just looking for something he left behind. Something to do with clowns, am I right?”

Steve watched Fury’s eyebrows furrow more than he thought a person’s eyebrows could.

“For the last time, Stark, if you say one more word about the clown thing to anyone in this institution, I’ll get your ass removed from campus myself.”

Steve wanted to know what the clown thing was, but he didn’t ask.

He ended up in the library for most of the next few days. Reading, doing schoolwork he was behind on. Steve didn’t like to admit it, but there were some concepts in class he couldn’t quite get his head around. It wasn’t like he wasn’t bright enough. He was halfway there. Just a few puzzle pieces that didn’t fit.

Tony came to the library the day before Christmas.

“I’ve been looking for you,” He said, and proceeded to set up books a few desks away, as if that made any sense.

As far as Steve could gather, Tony was working on his arm. Prosthetics has come a long way since the 40’s, especially if you were a Stark, and Steve was intrigued often by the way it worked. Tony had told him one time that he lost the arm in another life. Saving the universe, he’d explained. Steve had nodded. Eyes full of stars. No idea if Tony was being literal or not.

He couldn’t concentrate on his work after Tony sat down. He could feel the tension in his jaw. He was about to pack up his books and go elsewhere when Tony interrupted his train of thought.

“Steve?”

A pause.

“Steve, come here.”

Steve wasn’t sure he liked it when Tony called him by his first name. Regardless, he obeyed. What else was he to do?

His arm was open on the table. Half dismantled, the ligaments inside were awfully similar to the structure of a biological hand, but red and gold and glistening.

“You built this?” Steve said, and Tony looked up and nodded, eyes black and deep and soft on Steve’s would.

“This is a three-hand job and right now,” Tony looked back down at the arm. “I only have the one. Could you help?”

If Steve were to be asked a character flaw at a hypothetical job interview, he’d perhaps state his inability to say no.

“Of course.”

Afterwards, Tony asked about the work Steve had been doing in the library all this time.

“I can help, if you want. Call it repayment.” Tony smiled, and it lit up Steve’s heart. He stared, a little shocked.

“What, as if you like me all of a sudden?”

Tony’s mouth fell open, his eyes narrowed.

“I tried to give you space, Cap, I thought that was what you wanted. I gave you space because I was worried you didn’t want me around, and you’re asking if I even like you?” Tony’s lip was curled.

“You act like we aren’t even dating and then you ask if I even like you?”

Wait, what?

“Fuck you, Rogers,” Tony said, and got up and left, leaving Steve staring after him, forlorn like a lovesick puppy. Tony’s books were still open on the table.

It was dark before something else happened. Steve spent the time in between those hours practically pulling out his hair, trying to jog away his worries and eventually settling for lying in bed and trying not to cry.

There was a knock at the window.

“Yoo-hoo!” The voice was muffled by glass, but it was clear who it was.

Steve got out of bed. Tried to not be embarrassed about the Sufjan Stevens song playing in the background, and his Stark Corporations boxer shorts.

“Tony.” He said as he opened the window. Tony was hovering, using those rocket boots he’d been working on, and a gauntlet and the hand they’d worked on together earlier that afternoon.

“Cap. Can I come in?” Tony motioned into the dorm.

“You know you could’ve knocked on my door, right?”

“I do, but - don’t act like that. I was trying to be romantic.”

“You’re succeeding. I’m glad you came to see me. Sorry that I’m in my underwear. And stupid.”

Tony practically fell into the room. He probably had something to work on with that tech, but it was still wondrous. Imagine flying! In a one-man suit. A can.

“I’m not complaining, to be fair,” Tony grinned as Steve pulled him up from where he sat.

“I think we have things confused.”

They worked it out, sat on Steve’s bed. Tony had thought they were dating. Steve thought Tony was out of his league, or hated him, or both those things. Steve had had a crush on Tony for months.

“Then it’s a good job I have no qualms about admitting I feel the same way,” Tony said.

They ordered a pizza and laughed at a movie together, woke up on Christmas day in Steve’s bed.

“You know, I agree with most of your policies as student president,” Steve said, sat half naked with Tony on New Year’s Day. The next day, teachers would start returning to Avengers Academy to prepare for a new school term.

“I appreciate you telling me that,” Tony deadpanned, as if he’d known the whole time.

“I don’t have your charisma, though.”

Steve smiled, shook his head neither in agreement or disagreement, pressed his lips to Tony’s neck.

“Maybe we should join together. Form an alliance.”

“If you’re looking to ‘join together’” Tony said, using air quotes. “You’re a few days late. We already did that. A few times.”

They both laughed, and it rang out like bells.

Steve touched one finger softly to the big circular scar in the centre of Tony’s chest, between his breasts.

“Does it hurt?” He asked, without any hesitation.

“Only sometimes,” Tony said. “When you’re not around.”

Steve ran his fingers away, over the clipped hair on Tony’s chest, admired the way it grew around his nipples.

They talked about transitioning, in different times and in different ways, and it felt good to know they were similar and unique to each other in such perfect ways. There were no pangs of jealousy. All Steve could hope for was to make Tony as happy as he ever could.


End file.
